Long gone unrecognized, fibromyalgia is gradually emerging from the shadows, even though 2 to 3 million people are concerned worldwide (a majority of women). But this disease characterized by great fatigue and severe pain cannot be cured. However, it is possible to reduce the frequency and intensity of symptoms.
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Fibromyalgia, what is it due to?
“It’s in the head.” Patients with fibromyalgia have often seen their illness akin to a mental disorder. Many of them having gone through depressive episodes, the medical profession once considered the symptoms of fibromyalgia to be manifestations of latent depression. Today, research contradicts this explanation.
It is now the most commonly accepted that sufferers present “an anomaly in pain control”, explains Dr. Luc Bodin in Fybromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome published at the beginning of 2009 by the Dauphin editions. The brain misinterprets painful messages and amplifies them. In other words, the pain is less well tolerated.
Neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine intervene in the regulation of pain. These are “small chemical molecules which pass from one cell to another to give orders”, explains Professor Chérin (internal medicine, Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital in Paris). Due to intense stress or prolonged stress as some of you experience at work for example, the production of these neurotransmitters can be disrupted to the point of lowering our pain tolerance threshold. We also know that they play a role in regulating sleep … The major symptoms of fibromyalgia are indeed pain, fatigue and sleep disorders.
“The known origin of fibromyalgia is probably stress,” concludes Professor Chérin. The remedy: there is not one but several.
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Medication
Has your diagnosis been made? This recognition of the disease is often an important step and source of relief. Then comes the treatment of the disease. “What can we do? Asks Professor Chérin. You should know that there is no such thing as a miracle pill but that the care is multifactorial.”
Those who would expect the solution to their symptoms from a drug would be very disappointed because, in reality, treatment also relies on stress management and re-habituation to physical activity. “Rheumatologist, attending physician, pain doctor, functional rehabilitation therapist, psychiatrist as well as paramedical personnel such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and psychologists: it is this team, together, and not each doctor taken in isolation, who will be able to build for you a therapeutic program which will include drugs but also non-drug treatments “, insists the French Society of Rheumatology (SFR).
Among the drugs, antidepressants may be prescribed, often in lower doses than in depression. They are not used for their anti-depressive action but to reduce pain or to regulate sleep and mood disorders.
Along with this treatment, improving the disease also involves stress management and physical rehabilitation.
To learn more about fibromyalgia with EurekaSanté, the general public medical site published by VIDAL.
Stress management
Stress and fibromyalgia being intimately linked, to feel better, it is necessary to achieve better control of these psychological tensions which affect your health. Possibly through psychotherapy.
You can also turn to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This therapeutic aid will also help you not to withdraw into yourself and to remain optimistic. “CBT will teach the person a new way of thinking, which will induce new behaviors,” says Dr Bodin.
The practice of relaxation is also recommended (yoga, sophrology …) as alternative medicines (herbal medicine, homeopathy) which can help calm stress and anxiety.
As you will have understood, treating fibromyalgia requires considering a set of very intertwined factors and therefore providing multiple solutions … In addition to drug treatment and stress management, you will learn to gradually get used to physical exercise. .
To learn more about fibromyalgia with EurekaSanté, the general public medical site published by VIDAL.
Physical activity
The spiral may have started. Pain and fatigue prevent you from moving normally. You restrict your activities, which in turn worsens the symptoms.
Your treatment will therefore be based on muscular rehabilitation during exercise. The French Rheumatology Society also tells you: “Rest is not to be favored during fibromyalgia, although fatigue is often very present. The fight against fibromyalgia involves movement!” This rehabilitation will be supervised by professionals and very progressive. At first, walking even 500m will already be positive for some of you.
If your pain and fatigue force you to stop your work, finally know that it would be better to return to your post, with adjustments to your schedule if necessary.
To learn more about fibromyalgia with EurekaSanté, the general public medical site published by VIDAL.
To know more
On the Web
The site of the French Society of Rheumatology, very well documented, will answer many of your questions: www.rhumatologie.asso.fr. It also treats osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, ankylosing spondylitis …
To read
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Dr Luc Bodin, editions du Dauphin, 2009, 16 euros.
Fibromyalgia, such a long road, Dr Bruno Halioua, Dr Serge Perrot, Carole Robert, In Press editions, 2008.
Fibromyalgia, everyday pain, Francis Blotman and Jaime Branco, Privat editions, 2007, 23 euros.
To learn more about fibromyalgia with EurekaSanté, the general public medical site published by VIDAL.
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